The Tensor Desert

Abstract

We consider the question of whether it is worth building an experiment with the sole purpose of bringing the detectable limit on the tensor-to-scalar ratio, r, down to 10^{-3}. We look at the inflationary models which give a prediction in this region and recap the current situation with the tensor mode, showing that there are only three known models of inflation which give definitive predictions in the region 10^{-3}<r<10^{-2}.

4 pages, 1 figure. Updated to include more references and a comment on direct detection of GWs

References in corpus (4)

• Inflation models and observation
• Inflation models after WMAP year three
• Deciphering Inflation with Gravitational Waves: Cosmic Microwave Background Polarization vs. Direct Detection with Laser Interferometers
• The Polarization of the Cosmic Microwave Background Due to Primordial Gravitational Waves

Cited by in corpus (4)

• Inflation scenario via the Standard Model Higgs boson and LHC
• The present and future of the most favoured inflationary models after $Planck$ 2015
• Large Gravitational Waves and Lyth Bound in Multi Brane Inflation
• Fine-tuning criteria for inflation and the search for primordial gravitational waves